[NTLUG:Discuss] Test machine help

[Leroy Tennison]

Stan Gatchel wrote:
> guile,
>
> Thanks for the response. This is not all I can afford. I have a main
> machine (AMD 64) but use it to run my small business. Can't afford to be
> testing distro's on it and accidentally take it out. So the idea was to
> use this older machine to try out different distro's and see which one
> would be a good choice for the production machine. Then I would install
> the full version on the production machine having some confidence in the
> distro and the installation process.
>
> I think the test machine could use some more memory and perhaps a better
> supported video card (Matrox?). If you have anything like this, I would
> be glad to buy it.
>
> One more thing. From my choice of distro's you probably guessed I like
> KDE. Just my preference.
>
> Are you going to be at the Linux Fair?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Stan
>
> guile at stupidfactor.com wrote:
>   
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Stan Gatchel" <sgatchel at psltech.com>
>> To: "NTLUG Discussion List" <discuss at ntlug.org>
>> Sent: Friday, March 16, 2007 1:23 PM
>> Subject: [NTLUG:Discuss] Test machine help
>>
>>
>>   
>>     
>>> I am on the prowl for a new distro. No more reading reviews. That led me
>>> to SuSE 10.1 which was not good. Now, I want to try them first (live
>>> CD's). I have an older machine purchased in 2001 which I thought would
>>> ok for this. So I bought a bunch of Live CD's to try. When I booted
>>> them, they all gave me distorted graphics (narrow band of diagonals) on
>>> the screen or other messages (like graphics card not recognized). I
>>> suspect the old ATI rage graphics card. Below are the spec's for the
>>> machine. Maybe an old Matrox card would do better?
>>> Here is the disto list:
>>>
>>> Sabayon 3.1
>>> Elive 0.5
>>> Freespire 1.0
>>> SimplyMEPIS 6.0
>>> Kubuntu 6.10
>>> Mandriva One 2007
>>> PCLinuxOS 0.39a
>>>
>>> Here are the machine specs
>>>
>>> Hardware Brand Bus Comments
>>> CPU AMD Athlon (i386)
>>>
>>> Disk WD400BB-53CAA0 IDE
>>> Disk WD200BB-00AUA1 IDE
>>> CD-RW PlexWriter (PX-W1610A) IDE
>>> CD-ROM N/A
>>>
>>> Display ATI Rage Fury Pro/ Xpert 2000 Pro (128) PCI Card type AGP --
>>> Northbridge adapter?
>>> Floppy Yes
>>>
>>> Memory 250 MB
>>>
>>> Modem Agere V.90 56K Winmodem
>>>
>>> Net Card Dlink 10/100
>>>
>>> USB 2 ports (USB 1.1)
>>>
>>> Sound ASUSTek Deluxe motherboard (RealTek ALC850 codec)
>>>     
>>>       
>>   
>>     
>>> Any ideas?
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Stan
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>>>     
>>>       
>> Do you want to run it on older hardware or is that all you have/can afford? 
>> I have plenty of surplus hardware so if you need anything email me and I'll 
>> let you know if I have it. Of course anything I have in surplus will be 
>> donated if you need it.
>>
>>
>> -guile 
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>>
>>   
>>     
> _______________________________________________
> http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>
>   
Another alternative: Pick up a used hard drive at one of the Saturday 
sales real cheap (probably $1 per GB, for a 10-20 GB drive which would 
be adequate it's well worth it).  I keep a couple "just for play".